THE BREAKDOWN: Andre Ward-Chad Dawson

Published

12 years ago

September 5, 2012

Lee Wylie

Sure, we could see a draw Saturday. But the writer thinks the man on the left, Ward, will be able to boast that he is the man at 168, because he has more ways to win than does Dawson. (Hogan Photos)

Andre Ward-Chad Dawson:

Oracle Arena, Oakland, California
Televised by HBO
12 rounds for Ward's WBA and WBC super-middleweight titles

Gaining recognition in boxing is different from other sports. For some, a polarizing personality, a back story, or in some cases, even a smile can be all that's needed to help pave the way to superstardom. Certain doors can be made to swing wide open, with the right people eagerly rubbing their hands together on the other side, waiting to make the most out of that unique polarizing quality a fighter may possess. Some fighters are fortunate enough that they don't have to rely exclusively on their skills in order to sell tickets.

For others, like the supremely talented Andre Ward 25-0 {13} and Chad Dawson 31-1 {17}, technicians who may have an argument for being the best in the world at what they do, the road to fame and fortune can be a more tedious one. Being the best does not automatically equate to popularity. Not in this, the topsy turvy world of boxing.

Now, imagine a world when news of the universally recognized best light-heavyweight in the world is stepping down in weight to challenge his super-middleweight equivalent is greeted with moans and groans from many of the boxing media, who feel they're being lead down the garden path just because the bout may not turn out to be much of a spectacle. Some have even bizarrely claimed that they won't even bother to watch the fight. Well pardon me, but since when did the sport of boxing become so dependent on the cosmetics as opposed to the competition? If I want to see an action filled bloody scrap, I needn't look any further than my local watering hole on a weekend, there's plenty of fisticuffs going on down there.

Some of my favourite fights throughout history have involved technicians –Whitaker-McGirt 1+2, McCallum-Kalambay 1+2, Marquez-Barrera etc. A technical chess-match doesn't necessarily translate into a stinker,

Seriously though, I'm sure you don't need to be reminded that we currently have two fighters who share the accolade of being the consensus choice as the best in the world, who have competed in the same weight class together for over four years now and are point blank refusing to face one another. I couldn't care less who's to blame anymore, the fact of the matter is both Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao are afraid to accept the toughest challenge that's out there waiting for them while Andre Ward and Chad Dawson are not.

While Andre Ward and Chad Dawson maybe competing for multi-divisional supremacy and recognition,they are also striving for –at least in my eyes– something of far bigger significance…greatness. Achieving it requires so much more than simply dominating inferior opposition between the ropes or by entertaining the masses outside them. Testing one's self inside the ring speaks far louder than any words. Should a fighter be successful in his quest for greatness, he won't have to utter a single word declaring it, the names etched on his resume will do that for him. This is the reason why I LOVE this fight. The two best fighters in their respective divisions, who are in their physical primes and who aren't afraid to step up and take a risk –a lost commodity in today's fight game– in order to find out who's the best. That's the way boxing should be.

Now that I've got my little rant out of the way, let's discuss the actual fight.

Firstly, Chad Dawson deserves enormous respect for agreeing to fight Andre Ward at his optimum weight of 168 pounds. Make no mistake about it, despite him suggesting otherwise, the decrease in weight for Dawson is not to be scoffed at or ignored. Dawson hasn't competed as anything other than a light-heavyweight in over six years while his opponent has been making weight and fighting within the 168 pound limit since turning pro back in 2004. As I'm sure most of you are aware, making weight is one thing, but being effective at it on fight night is another. Oscar De La Hoya paid the ultimate price for thinking otherwise when he was left empty after making the welterweight limit, a weight he hadn't met in over six years prior to being humiliated by Manny Pacquiao. I'd be very surprised if Dawson turns out to be nearly as drained as De La Hoya was but remember, against De La Hoya, Pacquiao utilized a speed-oriented strategy. There wasn't much physicality in Pacquiao's tactics that night. Ward, meanwhile, who imposes his own physical strength a lot more than Pacquiao does, to smother in close and grapple his opponents,may look to exploit any physical weakness he may sense in Dawson. Ward's strength at the weight is immense.

Because of Chad Dawson's superior height and reach, as well as his southpaw jab which is enhanced by his excellent hand speed, most are of the opinion that the shorter Ward must work his way inside and take the fight to Dawson in order to win, which of course, isn't beyond the realm of possibility. However, while I would certainly agree that Dawson's length could be problematic for Ward should the Oakland native choose to stand and box with Dawson, I don't believe this to be the case at all. You see, Dawson, who is slicker, probably a tad quicker and who puts combinations together better than Ward does, may be the better technician of the two, but I consider Ward to be the better tactician. Therein lies the difference. I believe Ward may employ a strategy that's a complete contrast to the maul and clinch spoiling act that most are anticipating, but more on that in a moment.

I consider Andre Ward, the owner of a quite brilliant inside/outside game, to be one of the most adaptable fighters around today. If I could describe Ward's philosophy on fighting in a short sentence, it would be by any means necessary. While this may be perceived as a somewhat negative comment, it's actually quite the opposite. If you look at some of the greatest fighters of all time, past or present, you'll see that the ones who achieved the most were the ones who weren't afraid to admit that sometimes an opponent presented enough danger to evoke a change in their tactics. Muhammad Ali knew he couldn't move away for fifteen rounds against George Foreman who could cut off the ring as well as anyone who's ever put on a pair, so he adapted. Roberto Duran knew he couldn't pressurize the far bigger Iran Barkley into submission the way he was accustomed to against his smaller lightweight prey, so he adapted. If you watch any of Andre Ward's last half dozen fights or so, you'll see a different tactical approach used in each of them. Ward, along with trainer Virgil Hunter, leave no stone unturned in searching for the appropriate battle plan. When it comes to analyzing and dissecting their opponent's strengths and weaknesses, the combination of Ward and Hunter may be unrivaled in the current boxing landscape.

While appearing on Showtime during the Super Six tournament, Andre Ward was compared to almost every African-American boxing Olympian, from Sugar Ray Leonard to Roy Jones Jr with Floyd Mayweather Jr thrown in between. From where I'm looking in,Ward is more reminiscent of Bernard Hopkins, sharing the same cerebral and analytical approach to boxing as the Executioner does. Ironically, they will soon have one more thing in common.

Back in April of this year, despite being 47 years-old, Bernard Hopkins managed to fight Chad Dawson pretty much on even terms. In all honesty, during the first half of the fight, I felt Hopkins did even better than that, managing to manipulate a far greater athletic talent, with faster hands and a similar skill set into fighting his fight. Even in defeat, Bernard Hopkins wasn't overwhelmed or beaten up and had done his homework as usual.

Back in 2009, Chad Dawson was unbeaten and considered one of boxing's best. Against a certain type of opponent, Dawson often looked spectacular. Fighters who attempted to stand and box with Chad, or who tried to take his head off, were often made to look foolish as a result of Dawson's superior athletic gifts and craft. Enter Jean Pascal. Despite the fight being in Pascal's hometown of Montreal, Dawson was considered a strong betting favourite. Pascal, the owner of fast hands with decent power, wasn't known for possessing much in the way of boxing acumen and ring intelligence, and therefore wasn't expected to provide much resistance against the consensus best light-heavyweight in the world. However, in what I consider to be one of the most impressive strategic displays of boxing seen in the last few years or so, Jean Pascal completely nullified Dawson's counterpunching ability by handing Dawson his only career loss to date. Jean Pascal got his tactics spot on. Because Dawson is a converted southpaw, whose power lies in his lead right hand, rather than his trailing left, Pascal was able to shut down Dawson's jab and surprise him by stepping in with fast, unpredictable combinations and power leads from the outside. He did this by first making Chad follow him around the ring. Then, by feinting Chad into his defensive position {Dawson uses the same defensive construct as Floyd Mayweather by rolling and bending at the waist within his shell} Pascal was able to step outside of Dawson's lead foot and hit him with right hands. Pascal was at a height and reach disadvantage against Dawson, yet managed to defy conventional wisdom by beating him to the punch from the outside.

Back to Hopkins.

Heading into their first and second encounter, many were of the opinion that Hopkins, as is currently the case with Ward, should be looking to turn the fight ugly by using every trick in the book to take Dawson, a known confidence fighter, out of his comfort zone. Instead, we saw Hopkins utilizing a similar strategy to what Pascal implemented by moving side-to-side, circling the perimeter of the ring, before falling in with right hand leads from the outside. By doing this, Hopkins managed two things. Firstly, he eliminated Dawson's best weapon, his jab. Secondly, Hopkins reduced Dawson, a natural counter-puncher, into being the stalker. Obviously Dawson went on to win the fight, but I thought he looked was made to look poor because of Hopkins' carefully thought-out tactics. When Dawson's doing the pursuing, he isn't nearly as effective as his punch output drops way off. I also believe Dawson struggles to put everything together when he's made to be the one who's pressing the action. After all, he is a natural counter-puncher.

It must also be said, that deterioration in a 47 year-old fighter played a major part in the eventual decision loss to Dawson. Maybe five or six years ago things would have been different for Hopkins, who may have been able to fight at the same pace for the full twelve rounds. Seeing how Hopkins nullified much of what Dawson set out to do while being past his best, leads me to believe that a younger Hopkins would have performed even better. Before I go any further, it must be said that while he looked subpar against both Jean Pascal and Bernard Hopkins, Dawson does deserve credit for almost turning the fight around against Pascal. Some believe Dawson was well on his way to forcing a stoppage heading into the final rounds before a cut over his eye caused the fight to be halted. And let's not forget, Dawson actually got the win over Hopkins. In the cold light of the day, any kind win over Bernard Hopkins is really a job well done.

Back to Ward.

Like Hopkins, I have no doubt that Andre Ward will have, at some point, taken note of the Pascal-Dawson fight. As a result, Ward will know that when Dawson is made to be the aggressor, his first reaction when an opponent transitions to offense is to bend at the waist, to his left and to defend, where he's available to hit with right hands. Don't get me wrong, I'm a Dawson advocate and like I mentioned earlier, if an opponent decides to stand and box with Dawson, forget about it. You'll soon see Dawson in full flow, throwing an array of punches in quick succession, doubling up on hooks and uppercuts on offense, combined with slick head and upper body movement on defense. If Ward is naive enough to neglect Dawson's pure boxing skills, then it could end up being a long night for him. However, if a fighter can lure Dawson into being the aggressor and give him very little with which to counter from, then you'll see a different, more passive Dawson, who goes from throwing every punch in the book to barely releasing his one-twos. This is the Chad Dawson that Andre Ward will hope to be confronted with once the fight gets underway. And with the correct choice in tactics, Ward may get his wish.

There aren't many fighters who are as proficient at identifying an opponent's best weapon and neutralizing it –another Bernard Hopkins speciality– as Ward is. From where I'm looking in, there's an obvious weapon that Dawson possesses which is also his best way of winning the fight, his jab. By keeping Ward in front of him and on the end of the jab for twelve rounds {I don't think we're going to see a knockout here} there's a distinct possibility that Dawson, with his slickness and fast hands, could secure a decision win. Having said that, should Ward manage to strip Dawson of his jab, which will be at the top of his agenda, then I'm not really sure how Dawson goes on to win the fight. Dawson isn't one dimensional by any means. Like Ward, he too has a very good inside/outside game, but I'm having a hard time imagining him controlling Ward with anything else other than with his jab.

Andre Ward, on the other hand, has multiple ways in which he can attempt to disrupt Dawson and win the fight:

#1. Ward can fight off the back foot and out of range of the Dawson jab, before feinting him into dipping low where he can nail him with right hands as his head is waist height. This is something Jean Pascal executed repeatedly against Dawson. Obviously, Ward and Pascal are different fighters. Pascal is a bigger puncher and is more explosive, but Ward is taller and has a longer reach. There isn't much between them when it comes to speed, but Ward has a far higher ring IQ and is definitely more instinctive than Pascal. Simply put, I think Ward is more than capable of replicating the Pascal strategy that gave Chad Dawson all sorts of problems.

#2. Should there be any hint of Dawson being weak at 168 pounds, Ward will likely weave his way inside behind a high guard, where he can then smother and spoil Dawson's best work. Dawson is a big physical guy and is very strong, but Ward's strength on the inside may prove too much even for Dawson, especially if he's had any problems making the 168 pound limit. limit. Ward is very tough to contain on the inside, as Carl Froch, Allan Green and even Sakio Bika soon found out. Neither of them could really prevent Ward from gaining the upper hand at this range. Also, Ward's left hook in close –possibly his signature punch– could be the deciding factor should the action unfold there. Southpaws are available for left hooks, just as they are for right hand leads. Again, Dawson is probably the slicker of the two fighters in close, but Ward is definitely the more physical. Ward's ability to throw short punches in close, while at the same time preventing his opponent from getting off any retaliatory shots, using his arms and elbows to block them, really is of the highest order. Ward is unquestionably one of the upper echelon fighters of any weight class when it comes to his in-fighting skills.

#3. Although I'd favour Dawson in a straight up boxing match in the middle of the ring, it's not inconceivable to think that Ward could meet and match him there. Ward's jab, not as lengthy or as refined as Dawson's, is superbly well timed. He's also extremely adept at throwing it to the body early in fights, which keeps his opponents having to adjust their guard slightly to compensate. I'd give the edge in punching power and throwing combinations to Dawson. Ward prefers to throw single,untelegraphed shots which are harder to time, but he's more than capable of stringing his punches together as well.

As good as I think Chad Dawson is, I just happen to think that Andre Ward is that bit better. Even if you take Ward's hometown advantage and Dawson's weight out of the equation, I'd still favour Ward over Dawson for no other reason than Ward has more ways of winning the fight that Dawson does. I think Ward will give Dawson the benefit of the doubt with regards to how strong he will be at 168 and start things off fighting at a distance, on the back foot, looking to entice Dawson into following him around the ring while eliminating Dawson's best weapon, his jab, in the process. Unlike some of Ward's previous opponents, Dawson can fight effectively in close, disguising his shots well behind his right shoulder inside his defensive posture. Ward's best in-fighting displays came against two fighters who have no inside game — Green and Froch– and are not in the same league as Dawson when it comes to defending or attacking in close and up on the ropes. Ward will take the fight to the inside only if he feels he'll have the strength advantage there. It's all about knowing what to do and when to do it for Ward.

As was stated here earlier, Ward isn't afraid to acknowledge his opponent's best attributes and adjust accordingly. There's no point in trying to stand and trade with a fighter like Marvin Hagler when there are other ways and means with which to fight him. Roberto Duran knew this, opting to counter by forcing Marvin into being the aggressor. As a result of the great Panamanian's work, Sugar Ray Leonard knew this also, going one better by handing Hagler his first defeat in more than ten years. Following the same line of thought, I think that Andre Ward will follow the pattern that was laid down by Bernard Hopkins, and Jean Pascal before him. Chad Dawson is a fighter who, when taken out of his comfort zone, be it stylistically or mentally, has a tendency to become bored and disinterested. Apparently John Scully's guidance is the remedy, but I'm not convinced. I think once Ward goes against the grain with his counter-punching opponent, the wheels will begin to slowly come off for Dawson.

Prediction:

Andre Ward's versatility should be the key to this fight. After a few close feeling out rounds, which will likely be split, Ward's capacity to assess and adjust to whatever the situation calls for could be the determining factor in the fight, whether it be to fight from a distance before stepping in with power leads to eliminate Dawson's jab and volume, or by taking the fight to close quarters should the weight-making process have affected Dawson in any way. No matter how I look at it, Ward is too well-rounded a fighter to allow himself to fight someone else's fight. Including Dawson's.

I consider Ward to be a younger, more athletic and vibrant version of Bernard Hopkins. Looking at how Hopkins, at 47 years-old, managed to take a closer to his physical prime Dawson out of his game, leads me to believe that Ward will be able to do the same. Unlike Hopkins though, Ward is in his physical prime right now; we may not have even seen the best of Andre Ward yet, who, I believe is going to get even better. As the fight wears on, I can see Dawson becoming demoralized by Ward's ability to have an answer for everything he attempts. It's a position Dawson, a believer in his own ability, has never really found himself in before. I think Dawson thrives on confidence whereas Ward, with his determination and drive, thrives on stripping it away from an opponent. Something's got to give…

I'm not short-changing Chad Dawson here.He clearly isn't what his pseudonym suggests, he's good, very good. But Ward is potentially great, very great, which is why I can't really envision anything other than a decision win for the aptly named “Son of God” who might just be the best fighter in the world at the moment.

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Lee Wylie

The Hauser Report: Some Thoughts on Mike Tyson vs. Jake Paul

Published

12 mins ago

November 17, 2024

Thomas Hauser

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Jake Paul boxed his way to a unanimous decision over Mike Tyson at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, on Friday night. The bout, streamed live on Netflix, was one of the most-watched fights of all time and, in terms of the level of competition, boxing’s least-consequential mega-fight ever.

We’re living in a golden age for spectator sports. Sports generate massive amounts of money from engaged fan bases and are more popular now than ever before. Today’s athletes are more physically gifted, better conditioned, and more skilled than their predecessors. Their prowess is appreciated and understood by tens of millions of fans.

Not so for boxing. For the sweet science, this is an era of “fools’ gold.” Yes, fighters like Oleksandr Usyk, Canelo Alvarez, Terence Crawford, and Naoya Inoue bring honor to the sport. But boxing’s fan base has dwindled to the point where most people have no idea who the heavyweight champion of the world is. The sport’s dominant promoter has a business model that runs hundreds of millions of dollars a year in the red. And most fights of note are contested behind a paywall that shrinks the fan base even more. Few sports fans understand what good boxing is.

Mike Tyson is 58 years old. Once upon a time, he was the most destructive boxer in the world and “the baddest man on the planet.” Prior to last Friday night, he hadn’t fought in nineteen years and hadn’t won a fight since 2003.

Jake Paul is a 27-year-old social media personality who wasn’t born when Tyson lost his aura of invincibility at the hands of Buster Douglas. Paul began boxing professionally three years ago and, before fighting Tyson, had compiled a 10-1 (7 KOs) record against carefully chosen opponents.

Netflix has roughly 283 million subscribers globally, 84 million of them in North America. Recently, it made the decision to move into live sports. On December 25, it will stream the National Football League’s two Christmas games on an exclusive basis.

Netflix took note of the fact that Tyson’s 2020 exhibition against Roy Jones drew 1.6 million pay-per-view buys and concluded that Tyson-Paul had the potential to be the most-viewed fight of all time. It purchased rights to the fight as an attention grabber and subscription seller for (a best-estimate) $40 million.

Tyson-Paul was originally scheduled for July 20. A compliant Texas Department of Licensing and Regulations sanctioned the bout as an official fight, not an exhibition. In deference to Tyson’s age, the fighters agreed that the match would be contested over eight two-minute rounds (women’s rules) with 14-ounce gloves (heavyweight gloves normally weigh ten ounces).

But on May 26, Tyson became nauseous and dizzy while on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles and needed medical assistance for what was later described as a bleeding ulcer. The fight was rescheduled for November 15. Later, Tyson described the incident on the plane as follows: “I was in the bathroom throwing up blood. I had, like, eight blood transfusions. The doctor said I lost half my blood. I almost died. I lost 25 pounds in eleven days. Couldn’t eat. Only liquids. Every time I went to the bathroom, it smelled like tar. Didn’t even smell like shit anymore. It was disgusting.”

Does that sound like a 58-year-old man who should be fighting?

As Eliot Worsell noted, Tyson-Paul contained all the elements of a successful reality show. “There are for a start,” he wrote, “celebrities involved, two of them. One is ‘old famous’ and the other ‘new famous’ and both bring large audiences with them. They need only tap something on their phone to guarantee the entire world pays attention. And that, in this day and age, is all you really need to green light a project like this.”

But Worsell added a word of caution, observing, “This has been the story of Jake Paul’s pro boxing career to date; one of smoke and mirrors, one of sycophants telling him only what he wants to hear. He has been fed a lie just as Mike Tyson is now being fed a lie, and on November 15 they will both play dress-up and be watched by millions. They will wear gloves like boxers and they will move like boxers – one hampered in this quest by old age and the other by sheer incompetence – and they will together make ungodly sums of money.”

There was early talk that 90,000 fans would jam AT&T Stadium on fight night. Initially, ticket prices ranged from $381 to $7,956. And those prices were dwarfed by four tiers of VIP packages topped by a two-million-dollar “MVP Owner’s Experience” that included special ringside seating at the fight for six people, luxury hotel accommodations, weigh-in and locker room photo ops, boxing gloves signed by Tyson and Paul, and other amenities.

But by Monday of fight week, ticket prices had dropped to as little as $36. Ringside seats were available for $900. And the press release announcing the eventual MVP Owner’s Experience sale backtracked a bit, saying the package was “valued at $2 million” – not that the actual sale price was $2 million. It also appeared that the purchase price included advertising for the law firm that purchased the package since the release proclaimed, “Just as every fighter in the ring stands to represent resilience, grit, and the pursuit of victory, TorkLaw stands in the corner of the people, fighting for justice and empowering those who need it most.”

That said, the fight drew 72,300 fans (inclusive of giveaway tickets) to AT&T Stadium. And the live gate surpassed $18 million making it the largest onsite gate ever in the United States for a fight card outside of Las Vegas. More than 60 million households watched the event live around the world.

The undercard featured a spirited fight between Mario Barrios and Abel Ramos that ended in a draw. Then came the second dramatic showdown between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano.

Taylor-Serrano II was for all four major sanctioning body 140-pound belts. Two years ago, Katie and Amanda did battle at Madison Square Garden on a historic night that saw Taylor emerge with a controversial split-decision win. Katie is now 38 years old and her age is showing. Amanda is 36. Taylor was an early 6-to-5 betting favorite in the rematch but the odds flipped late in Serrano’s favor.

Amanda began Taylor-Serrano II in dominating fashion and wobbled Katie just before the bell ending round one. That set the pattern for the early rounds. Serrano looked like she could hurt Taylor, and Taylor didn’t look like she could hurt Serrano.

Then in round four, Serrano got hurt. A headbutt opened a gruesome gash on her right eyelid. As the bout progressed, the cut became more dangerous. From an armchair perspective, it looked as though the fight should have been stopped and the result determined by the judges’ abbreviated scorecards. But the ring doctor who examined Serrano allowed it to continue even though the flow of blood seemed to handicap Amanda more and more with each passing round.

In round eight, referee Jon Schorle took a point away from Taylor after the fourth clash of heads that he thought Katie had initiated. By then, Serrano’s face resembled a gory Halloween mask and the bout had turned into a non-stop firefight. Each woman pushed herself as far as it seemed possible to go.

In the eyes of most observers, Serrano clearly won the fight. This writer scored the bout 96-93 in Amanda’s favor. Then the judges had their say. Each one favored Taylor by a 95-94 margin.

“My God!” blow-by-blow commentator Mauro Ranallo exclaimed after the verdict was announced. “How does one rob Amanda Serrano after a performance like that?”

In keeping with the hyperbole of the promotion, one might say that it was the most-watched ring robbery (although not the worst) in boxing history.

CompuBox is an inexact tabulation. But there’s a point at which the numbers can’t be ignored. According to CompuBox, Serrano outlanded Taylor in nine of ten rounds with an overall 324-to-217 advantage in punches landed.

From a boxing standpoint, Taylor-Serrano II made the evening special. Casual fans who don’t know much about the sweet science saw a very good fight. But they also saw how bad judging undermines boxing.

Meanwhile, as good as Taylor-Serrano II was, that’s not what Netflix was selling to the public. Jake Paul’s most recent events had engendered disappointing viewer numbers. This one was a cultural touchstone because of Tyson.

Paul has worked hard to become a boxer. In terms of skills, he’s now a club fighter (which is more than 99.9 percent of the population could realistically dream of being). So, what happens when a club fighter fights a 58-year-old man who used to be great?

Jack Johnson fought until the age of 53, losing four of his last six bouts. And the two he won were against opponents named Rough House Wilson (who was disqualified in what would be his only recorded professional fight) and Brad Simmons (who was barred from fighting again in Kansas because he was believed to have thrown the fight against Johnson).

Larry Holmes fought until age 52, knocking out 49-year-old Mike Weaver at age 51 and winning a unanimous decision over Eric Esch (aka Butterbean) in his final bout.

Paul was a 2-to-1 betting favorite. Serious PED testing for the fight was a murky issue but seems to have been minimal. Taylor and Serrano underwent VADA testing in advance of their bout. Tyson and Paul didn’t.

Tyson weighed in for the contest at 228.4 pounds; Paul at 227.2 (well over his previous high of 200). Following the weigh-in, Mike and Jake came face to face for the ritual staredown and Mike slapped Jake. But the incident was self-contained with no ripple effect and had the feel of a WWE confrontation.

That raised a question that was fogging the promotion: “Would Tyson vs. Paul be a ‘real’ fight or a pre-arranged sparring session (which was what Tyson vs. Roy Jones appeared to be)?”

That question was of particular note because sports betting is legal in 38 states and 31 of them were allowing wagers on the fight.

Nakisa Bidarian (co-founder of Paul’s promotional company) sought to lay that issue to rest, telling ESPN, “There’s no reason for us to create a federal fraud, a federal crime. These are pro fights that consumers are making legal bets on. We have never and we’ll never do anything that’s other than above board and one hundred percent a pro fight unless we come out clearly and say, ‘Hey, this is an exhibition fight that is a show.'”

Tyson looked old and worried during his ring walk and wore a sleeve on his right knee. The crowd was overwhelmingly in his favor. But it’s an often-repeated truism that the crowd can’t fight. And neither could Mike.

Once upon a time, Tyson scored nine first-minute knockouts in professional fights. Not first-round. First-minute.

Against Paul, “Iron Mike” came out for round one as hard as he could (which wasn’t very hard) while Jake kept a safe distance between them. Then Tyson tired and took all the air out of the fight. By round three, he was in survival mode with his head tucked safely behind his 14-ounce gloves. And Jake didn’t have the skills to hurt him.

The CompuBox numbers favored Paul by a 78-to-18 margin in punches landed. In other words, Tyson landed an average of two punches per round. The judges’ scores were 80-72, 79-73, 79-73 in Jake’s favor. It was a “real” fight but a bad one.

“I love Mike Tyson,” Terence Crawford posted on X afterward. “But they giving him too much credit. He looked like trash.”

Prior to the bout, Tris Dixon wrote, “Tyson-Paul is a weird event, and I can’t think of anything even remotely like it in terms of the level of fighters, celebrity, and their ages. The event is unique, and morally and ethically it is questionable. It is a cynical cash grab. I can’t see it being particularly entertaining as a high-level sporting event. But I’m sure once it starts you won’t be able to take your eyes off it.”

All true. But let’s remember that there was a time when Mike Tyson was universally recognized as the best fighter in the world. Not many people in history have been able to say that.

—

Thomas Hauser’s email address is thomashauserwriter@gmail.com. His most recent book – MY MOTHER and me – is a personal memoir available at www.amazon.com/My-Mother-Me-Thomas-Hauser/dp/1955836191/ref=sr_1_1?crid=5C0TEN4M9ZAH&keywords=thomas+hauser&qid=1707662513&sprefix=thomas+hauser%2Caps%2C80&sr=8-1

In 2004, the Boxing Writers Association of America honored Hauser with the Nat Fleischer Award for career excellence in boxing journalism. In 2019, Hauser was selected for boxing’s highest honor – induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

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Golden Boy in Riyadh Results: Zurdo Ramirez Unifies Cruiserweight Titles

Published

23 hours ago

November 16, 2024

David A. Avila

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Mexico’s Gilberto “Zurdo” Ramirez endured the grinding style of England’s Chris Billam-Smith to become the unified WBO and WBA cruiserweight champion by unanimous decision after a bruising battle in Saudi Arabia on Saturday.

“I’m a true champion,” said Ramirez.

Ramirez (47-1, 30 KOs) used angles and experience to out-maneuver the very strong Billam-Smith (20-2, 13 KOs) in Golden Boy Promotion’s first joint adventure with “Riyadh Season” in Riyadh, Saud Arabia.

Footwork by Ramirez seemed to surprise Billiam-Smith whose relentless approach could not corral the Mexican fighter who was fighting only for the second time at cruiserweight.

The former super middleweight champion used his experience and ability to create punching angles to optimum success against Billam-Smith. The movement confused the British fighter who never could find a solution.

“He has consistent shots,” said Billam-Smith. “I had trouble tracking him.”

But Billam-Smith used his relentless attacking style for all 12 rounds despite suffering a cut near his eye in the sixth round. He never quit and pounded away at Ramirez who simply out-punched the incredibly strong British cruiserweight.

No knockdowns were scored. Billam-Smith did have success in the 10^th round but couldn’t overcome the overall success Ramirez had tallied with body shots and straight lefts throughout the contest.

“It meant a lot for me to try and stop him,” said Ramirez. “But he’s pretty tough.”

After 12 rounds of bruising action all three judges saw Ramirez the winner 116-112 twice and 116-113.

Barboza’s Quest

After 11 years Arnold Barboza (31-0, 11 KOs) finally got his wish and met former super lightweight champion Jose Ramirez (29-2, 18 KOs) in the boxing ring and handed him only his second defeat.

“It was a long time coming,” Barboza said.

Barboza started slowly against the pressure style of Ramirez but soon gathered enough information to determine his own attack. Accuracy with jabs and body shots opened things up for the Southern California fighter from El Monte.

Ramirez seemed to lose that fire in his legs and usually attacking style. Though he occasionally showed the old fire it was only in spurts. Barboza took advantage of the lulls and pierced the former champion’s guards with accurate jabs and quick body shots.

He was sharp.

After 10 rounds all three judges favored Barboza 96-94 twice and 97-93.

“This was my championship fight,” said the undefeated Barboza. “I respect everything about him (Ramirez) and his team.” Ramirez’s only previous loss came in a bout with Josh Taylor for the undisputed world title at 140 pounds.

Lightweight clash

William Zepeda (32-0, 27 KOs) survived a knockdown to out-punch former champion Tevin Farmer (33-7-1, 8 KOs) and walk away with a split decision victory in their lightweight confrontation.

“I knew it was going to be a tough fight,” said Zepeda. “He surprised me a little bit.”

Zepeda opened up with his usual flood of punches from every angle and soon found himself looking up from the floor after Farmer floored him with a perfect counter-left in the third round.

It took the Mexican fighter a few rounds to find a way to avoid Farmer’s counter lefts and then the deluge of blows resumed. Though Farmer continued to battle he couldn’t match the number of blows coming from Zepeda.

After 10 rounds one judge saw Farmer 95-94 but the two other judges saw Zepeda by 95-94 scores.

“I just brought it to him,” said Farmer who knew it was a close fight.

Puerto Rico’s New Unified Champ

In a battle between minimumweight world titlists Puerto Rico’s Oscar Collazo (11-0, 8 KOs) knocked out Thailand’s KO CP Freshmart (25-1, 9 KOs) to become the WBO and WBA champion.

Freshmart, also known as Thammanoon Niyomtrong, was the longest reigning champion in the 105-division weight class for a total of eight years. That was quickly ended as Collazo’s floored the strong Thai fighter three times during their clash of champions.

Body shots proved beneficial to Collazo as both exchanged blows to the abdomen but the Puerto Rican added flashy combinations to control the fight for six rounds.

“I saw him breathing hard,” said Collazo.

Possibly understanding he was falling behind, Freshmart began to advance more aggressively and forced exchanges with the fast Boricua. Bad idea.

During a furious exchange in the sixth Collazo connected with a counter right hook on the chin and down went Freshmart. He recovered and finished the round.

Collazo opened the seventh searching for an opening and immediately connected with another right hook during an exchange of blows with the Thai fighter. Down went Freshmart again but he got up to fight again. Collazo moved in cautiously again and this time fired a left uppercut that finished Freshmart at 1:29 if the seventh round.

“We got the stoppage,” said Collazo the unified WBO and WBA minimumweight champion.

Puerto Rico has another unified world champion in Collazo.

“I want all the belts,” Collazo said.

Duarte edges Akhmedov

Mexico’s Oscar Duarte (28-2-1, 22 KOs) scrapped past Botirzhon Akhmedov (10-4, 9 KOs) in a rugged super lightweight battle to win by unanimous decision. But it was a close one.

“He’s a great fighter, a warrior,” said Duarte of Akhmedov.

Akhmedov started faster using angles and bursts of punches as Duarte looked to counter. In the second half of the 10-round fight the extra energy expended by the fighter from Uzbekistan seemed to tire him. Mexico’s Duarte took advantage and looked stronger in the second half of the match.

All three judges saw Duarte the winner 98-92, 97-93, 96-94.

Welterweights

Saudi Arabia’s Ziyad Almaayouf (6-0-1) and Mexico’s Juan Garcia (5-6-1) fought to a majority draw after six rounds of action.

Photo credit: Cris Esqueda / Golden Boy

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Jake Paul Defeats Mike Tyson plus Other Results from Arlington, Texas

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1 day ago

November 16, 2024

David A. Avila

Hake-Paul-Defeats-Mike-Tyson-and-Other-Resulys-from-Arlington-Texas

The power of Mike Tyson.

Tyson’s power was on display in the people he attracted from all over the world to fill up the 72,000-seat Texas stadium and to capture the interest of more than 160 million viewers on Netflix. But, not in the prize ring on Saturday.

Youth and Jake Paul (11-1, 7 KOs) were the winners after eight tepid rounds over legendary heavyweight champion Tyson (50-7, 44 KOs) who failed to beat the chains of time. But he did stir them a bit at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas.

Paul moved in and out of danger against Tyson the former undisputed heavyweight champion whose name struck terror in the 80s and 90s. Though the social media influencer had a 31-year younger body, he could not take full advantage.

“I was afraid he was going to hurt me,” admitted Paul.

In the opening round Tyson stalked Paul like a hungry lion about to pounce on a piece of meat. The younger fighter used his legs and smart jabs to keep separation. It was a wise decision.

At times Paul would unleash quick combinations, but the experienced Tyson’s muscle memory kicked in and he easily avoided the blows. But from the third round on the legs seemed to lock up and every movement seemed a struggle.

Paul landed left hooks to the head but Tyson managed to avoid their full power. And when Tyson connected with a left uppercut in the fifth round Paul wagged his tongue to acknowledge it connected, but the power was not damaging.

The eight two-minute rounds were perfect for this fight.

When a 58-year-old body is forced to fight for its life with all the necessary tools such as agility, endurance and quickness, the mind can play tricks. But Tyson was resolute and kept advancing against Paul in every round.

In the seventh round the aged heavyweight rekindled a second wind and fired dangerous combinations for the first time since the second frame. His winning spirit blazed for a moment or two until Paul unleashed his own combination blows. The moment for miracles had passed.

The final round saw Paul use more jabs and a few combination punches. Tyson tried to fire back but was unable to get his legs to cooperate. Still, his bravado was intact and Paul marked the last 10 seconds by bowing down humbly in front of Tyson. Paul had survived the lion’s maw.

“He’s the greatest heavyweight to ever do it,” said Paul of Tyson. “He’s a really tough and experienced fighter.”

Tyson was almost silent after the fight.

“I knew he was a good fighter. I came prepared,” said Tyson.

Katie Taylor Wins Again

In an even more brutal fight than their first encounter, undisputed super lightweight champion Katie Taylor (24-1) again edged out Amanda Serrano (47-3-1) after 10 bloody rounds to win by unanimous decision.

It was Serrano who jumped on Taylor in the first round and ravaged the Irish fighter with rifling lefts that snapped her head back. There was no wasting time to get acquainted.

Taylor got her footing in the third round with her quick-handed flurries. Though Serrano landed too it was Taylor’s resilience that kept her from being over run by the Puerto Rican’s power blows.

In the third round however, Taylor rushed in with blows and then grabbed Serrano and butted her with her head. A bloody gash opened up on the side of the Puerto Rican’s right eye. The referee quickly acknowledged it was a butt that caused the bad cut.

In the next round the cut opened up even more and the referee and ringside physician asked if she wanted to continue. She acknowledged to continue though the fight could have been stopped and judged by the scores accumulated up to that point. Serrano probably would have won.

Serrano did not want to stop.

“I chose to be great,” Serrano said. “I’m a Boricua. I’ll die in the ring.”

For the remainder of the fight the two combatants battled furiously. It was even more savage than their first encounter in New York two years ago. The referee repeatedly warned Taylor for intentionally diving in with her head and took one point away in the eighth round. He could have deducted more but did not.

“Sometimes it’s tough in there,” explained Taylor.

Serrano’s right hooks and left crosses found their mark repeatedly. Taylor’s quick combinations and strafing rights blazed often. It was up to the judges after 10 rounds had expired. All three judges saw it in favor of Taylor 95-94.

Many in the crowd booed. Even the announcers seemed surprised.

“She’s a fantastic champion,” said Taylor of Serrano. “She’s a hard puncher and tough.”

Serrano seemed displeased by the decision, but happy for the success of the fight card.

WBC Welterweight Title Fight

The theme for the WBC welterweight title fight was only sissies block and slip punches as Mario Barrios (29-2-1, 18 KOs) the champion and challenger Abel Ramos (28-6-3, 22 KOs) slugged each other gruesome for 12 bloody rounds and a split decision.

Barrios retains the WBC title.

“I knew it was a close fight,” Barrios said. “He made it a war.”

The two Mexican-American warriors blasted each other with knockdowns but somehow continued to battle on.

Texas-born Barrios was defending his title for the first time and Arizona’s Ramos was finally invited to challenge for a world title. He accepted.

Barrios opened up with sharp jabs and rocked Ramos with a straight right. He almost went down. In the second round he was not as lucky and was floored with a perfect three-punch combination. Ramos smiled and resumed the fight.

After a few more one-sided rounds in favor of Barrios, who trains in Las Vegas with Bob Santos, the match seemed to be dominated by the welterweight champion. It was a false read.

Ramos opened the sixth round in a more aggressive attack and began hammering Barrios with right hands. A three-punch combination blasted the champion to the ground and forced him to take an eight-count. He barely survived the round as the crowd panted.

“He can crack,” said Barrios.

For the remainder of the match both fought back and forth with Barrios finding success with jabs and rights to the body. Ramos rocketed rights on the champion’s head and occasional left hooks but the right seemed lasered to Barrios head.

Both of their faces were swollen and bloodied by punches to the face and neither seemed willing to quit. After 12 rounds one judge saw Ramos the winner 114-112, another saw Barrios win 116-110, and a third judge saw it 113-113 for a split draw. Barrios retains the WBC title.

“It was a great fight for the crowd,” said Ramos with a smile. “Two warriors like us are going to give an action-packed performance.”

Indian Fighter Wins

Neeraj Goyat (19-4-2) of India defeated Brazil’s Whindersson Nunes (0-1) in a super middleweight fight after six rounds. No knockdowns were scored but Goyat was the busier and more skilled fighter.

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